Accelerating Blue Interregional Cooperation in the Mediterranean Basin. Sharing a common strategic vision, creating transferrable collaboration models

The Mediterranean Sea basin is an area with a huge potential, given its 46.000km of coastline extension, its unique marine and fish resources and emerging opportunities in several blue economy sectors. Given the existing initiatives, opportunities and priorities to ensure a sustainable blue economy it’s crucial the cooperation among Mediterranean countries to boost sustainability and digitalization, in particular with the involvement of blue economy clusters.

Throughout the morning session we will hear about the emerging clusters initiatives in the southern shore countries and look at the various cooperation models and learn about direct experiences of clusters coming from northern and southern shore countries. In the afternoon actions towards digitalization in the blue economy will be discussed, analyzing best practice in Italy and in other European and non-European countries.

Programme

10.00-10.30 Registration

Session 1
Internationalisation in the Mediterranrean seabasin

10.30-10.50 Welcome address
Adriana Salazar Olivan, Ufm 
Paolo Guglia, Cluster BIG

10.50-11.10 Internationalization in the Mediterranean: cooperation models in northern and southern shores towards sustainable blue economy
Leonardo Manzari, WestMED 

11.10-11.40 Mapping cluster initiatives in the southern shore countries
Roberto Cimino, Cluster BIG 
Laurence Martin, FdM

11.40-12.10 Piloting activities in the Southern shore: strengthening emerging maritime clusters ecosystem
Nesrine Rekia Ziad, LEANCUBATOR Algeria (TBC)
Hamadi Baba Hamadi, Cluster Maritime Mauritanien
Lidia Rossi, ForMare

12.10-12.30 Coffee break

12.30-12.40 EU funding opportunities for smart specialisation, interregional cooperation in the blue economy – the EMFAF Call for Proposals on Flagship/Smart specialisation strategies
Luca Marangoni, Deputy Head of Unit Sustainable Blue Economy, CINEA – European Commission 

12.40-13.10 Policy makers engagement
A. Tiziana De Nittis, MASBBE Partnership Regione Emilia-Romagna   
Ezzedine Kacem, Cluster Maritime Tunisien-CMT
Grazia Maria Iadarola, Lazio Innova 

13.10-13.40 Panel discussion: blue economy priorities in northern and southern shore

Moderator: Roberto Cimino, Cluster BIG

Participants:
Luca Marangoni, deputy Head of Unit Sustainable Blue Economy, CINEA – European Commission
Leonardo Manzari, WestMed
All clusters representatives

13.40-14.00 Wrap-up & Conclusions

14.00-15.00 Lunch break

Session 2
Italian Ecosystem towards digitalisation in the blue economy: best practice sharing

15.00-15.20 Introduction by the Chair

15.20-15.40 iNEST - Interconnected Nord-Est Innovation Ecosystem
Research and technological transfer activities in the sector of maritime, marine and inland water technologies. Development of a Digital Ocean of the North Adriatic area, integrating AI, ecosystem models and observed data.
Stefano Querin, OGS & Reaserch topic manager on Inest’s North Adriatic Digital Twin
Vittorio Bucci, Univeristy of Trieste & Research topic manager on Inest’s Sustainable waterway mobility (TBC)

15.40-16.00 RAISE - Robotics and AI for Socio-economic Empowerment
Improve the strategy and methodologies of environmental monitoring and protection for the sea in the Ligurian territory. Innovative robotic systems managed by AI for marine monitoring, with increased mission range and better data quality (widespread, integrated and dynamic-adaptive monitoring).

On constructing an intelligent digital environment for ports and maritime transport
Davide Giglio, University of Genova & RAISE

Citizen science actions to empower ocean digitalization
Marco Faimali, CNR & RAISE
Manlio Martellucci, ETT spa & RAISE (TBC)

16.00-16.20 MOST - National Center for Sustainable Mobilty
Making the mobility system "greener" as a whole and more "digital" in its management. Electric and hydrogen propulsion solutions and systems. Digital systems and autonomous driving to reduce accidents; more effective solutions for public transport and port logistics; a new model of mobility, as a service, accessible and inclusive.
Daniele Filippone, Fincantieri
Alessandro Iafrati, Director of INM-CNR & Spoke Coordinator

16.20-16.50 Panel discussion – Interaction with southern shore representatives on the topic

Moderator: Emilio Campana, Cluster BIG (TBC)

Participants:
All north-south clusters and Italian ecosystems’ representatives, Leonardo Manzari, (Raffaele Liberali)

16.50 Wrap-up and Conclusions